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TUESDAY April 3, 2000 vol. 11, no. 66 SECTION TWOSee why so many consider the Daily CATHOLIC as the "USA Today for CATHOLICS!"
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Today we continue with our new series in the search to uncover the wonderful treasures of the Church contained in the great Deposit of Faith. Today we present, appropriately in following up the Holy Father's "Jubilee Journey" last month, the second part of the catechesis on Jesus Christ as Our Lord as explained in My Catholic Faith for it was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies that He would become Emmanuel and be born of a woman as "The Word was made flesh." For the 144th installment, see APPRECIATING THE PRECIOUS GIFT OF OUR FAITH
These two natures were united in a Divine Person Jesus Christ, the God-Man. They were intimately united, but they remained distinct. Neither was absorbed by the other. The union of the divine and human natures in Christ is called the hypostatic union. Christ is true God and true man; this is why we call Him God-Man. Beings obtain their nature from their origin; for this reason a child has a human nature, from its human parents. Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, has His origin from God the Father, and hence He has a divine nature; moreover, as man He was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and thus His human nature. This is why Christ often referred to Himself indiscriminately as "Son of God" or "Son of Man."
As a consequence of these two natures, Christ had also two wills. We can see this very clearly in His prayer in the Garden of Olives before His Passion. He said: "Nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done." He was referring to His human will, for His divine will was surely the same as His Father's.
The name Jesus means Saviour or Redeemer and Our Lord is called Jesus because He came to save men from sin, and to open the doors of Heaven to them. Before the birth of Our Lord, an angel appeared to Saint Joseph and said: "Thou shalt call His name Jesus" (Matthew 1:21). At the Annunication the angel Gabriel had spoken the same words to Mary.
We shouldsay the name of Our Lord with great reverence. We should bow our head every time we utter it. "In the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth" (Philippians 2:10). The symbol HIS is composed of the first three letters of the name Jesus in Greek. The name Christ means "The Anointed One." "Christ" is a Greek word, with the same meaning as "messiah." In the Old Law it was the custom to anoint with oil prophets, high priests, and kings. Our Lord is the greatest of Prophets. He is the High Priest Who offers Himself for all mankind. He is the King of angels and men. Therefore it is fitting that we should call Him Christ. He truly is the Anointed One.
We are called Christians because we are disciples of Christ. We believe in His teachings, and obey His commandments. The followers of Christ were first called Christians at Antioch.
Jesus Christ was announced to the world through many types. By "types" we mean persons or actions which strongly suggested or foreshadowed Christ. "Types" are to the reality what a photograph is to the actual person; but for lack of the reality, types are a good substitute, to give an idea of the substance foreshadowed. Some of the types of Jesus Christ were: the gentle and just Abel, who was murdered by his brother; Noah, who alone persevered and saved the human race from extinction by his justice;Isaac, who willingly carried the wood on which he was to have been sacrificed; Joseph, who was sold for a few pieces of silver, but later saved his brethren from death; Moses, who freed the Jews from slavery and led them to the Promised Land; David, who was born poor, did great deeds for his people, and became king.
Tomorrow: The Incarnation part one
On this day one year ago the glorious pontificate of one of the Church's great Roman Pontiffs - our own beloved Pope John Paul II became the tenth longest in the history of Sovereign Pontiffs and, no doubt by the time he has completed his mission and rewarded with Heavenly glory, he will have surpassed even more Vicars of Christ over the 2000 year history of the Bishops of Rome. For other time capsule events that happened in Church history on this date, see MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES
999 A.D.
Archbishop Gerbert of Aurillac is consecrated the first French Pope, taking the name Pope Sylvester II.
1245 A.D.
Birth of Philip III, nicknamed "the Bold" who would become the King of France.
1287 A.D.
Death of Pope Honorius IV, the 190th successor of Peter who sought to establish closer relations with the Eastern Orthodox Church as well as the leaders of the Islam world.
1312 A.D.
Pope Clement V, the first of the Avignon Popes, dissolves the Knights Templar who had grown increasingly in power and abuse of their privileges.
1367 A.D.
Birth of Henry IV who would become King of England
1999 A.D.
The pontificate of the 264th successor of Peter, Pope John Paul II officially becomes the tenth longest in the history of the Church to become the longest reigning Pope of the 20th century since Pope Leo XIII.
Historical Events in Church Annals for April 3:
304 A.D.
Death of Saint Pancras A Syrian from Phrygia who was a convert to Christianity and martyred for his faith in Rome during the persecution of Diocletian.
Today's and tomorrow's liturgy are both Lenten Weekdayswith tomorrow also being the Optional Feast of Saint Isidore, Bishop and Doctor. For the readings, liturgies, meditations, and profile on him, see DAILY LITURGY.
"Now after two days He departed from that place and went into Galilee, for Jesus Himself bore witness that a prophet receives no honor in His Own country. When, therefore, He had come into Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all that He had done in Jerusalem during the feast, for they also had gone to the feast."
Special Prayer for Monday in the Fourth Week of Lent
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but the words of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen have been known to launch a thousand images in one's mind, one of the ways this late luminary did so much to evangelize the faith. Because of the urgency of the times and because few there are today who possess the wisdom, simplicity and insight than the late Archbishop who touched millions, we are bringing you daily gems from his writings. The good bishop makes it so simple that we have dubbed this daily series: "SIMPLY SHEEN".
"A great burden is thrust upon men who call themselves religious. In this fatal hour, all of their energies should be spent recalling man to his spiritual destiny and summoning him to invoke the God Who made him. Instead of that there are some who would accuse their neighbors who also believe in God, of being disloyal to their country, or else of trying to impose their faith by force on their fellow citizens. Such lies do a disservice both to God and to country. And their supposed faith in God is to be questioned, because no one who loves God hates his neighbor, nor does he try to incite citizen against citizen through slander."
IMPORTANT ALERT
On Good Friday, when the Holy Father leads the Via Crucis meditations, his own words will lead the faithful on the traditional Papal Way of the Cross. His deep spirituality, recently renewed by a spontaneous visit to Mount Calvary, within the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, will be the inspiration the Pope will use and should likewise help prepare all to take up our cross and follow Christ just as Pat Ludwa's column today and Archbishop Van Thuan's spiritual exercises plus our daily LENTEN MEDITATIONS complement all the Pope is emphasizing.continued inside
VATICAN CITY, MAR 31 (ZENIT.org).- On the occasion of the Great Jubilee
of the Year 2000, John Paul II will personally write the texts of the
Good Friday Via Crucis meditations, which he will preside in the
imposing setting of the Roman Colosseum, the place of martyrdom of many
of the first Christians. This news was made public today by Joaquin
Navarro-Valls, director of the Vatican Press Office.
John Paul II also wrote the commentary for the Via Crucis in 1984, the
Extraordinary Holy Year of the Redemption.
The Via Crucis is one of the most moving events in Rome during Holy
Week. The Holy Father presides over the torch-lit nocturnal procession,
arriving with thousands of pilgrims in the brightly lit Colosseum. The
texts of the Via Crucis are generally written by outstanding writers,
theologians, or witnesses to Christianity, including some from outside
the Church. Last year, the author was Italian poet Mario Luzi. In 1995,
Protestant nun Minke de Vries was the author, and in 1996, Cardinal
Vinko Puljic of Sarajevo. In 1997 Patriarch Karekin I of All Armenians
wrote the texts, and in 1998, Orthodox lay theologian Olivier Clément.
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On Laetare Sunday, the Holy Father greeted thousands of pilgrims waiting to hear his Angelus address which can be found in THE VICAR OF CHRIST SPEAKS. The Pope had previously prayed with thousands of youth in the square, praying the Rosary in Latin with millions of others linked via the web. The Vatican announced that the number of pilgrims has surpassed all expectations and greater numbers are expected. continued inside.
VATICAN CITY, APR 2 (ZENIT.org).- In Rome, the Jubilee is breaking all
records in history in terms of numbers of pilgrims. To give one example,
yesterday, at the last minute, 35,000 Italians came for an audience.
Another 6,000 Czech pilgrims joined their ranks, the greatest number of
Czechs ever to come on pilgrimage to Rome. Today St. Peter's Square
filled again at midday, when John Paul II appeared at his window to pray
the Marian "Angelus" with the faithful.
The Pope, who just a week ago bid farewell to the Holy Land, seemed very
pleased indeed. He connected his enthusiasm, which he could not hide,
with this Sunday's liturgy, which begins with the words "Rejoice,
Jerusalem." This Sunday divides Lent in half, as Christians prepare more
intensely to relive the passion, death and resurrection of Christ during
Holy Week. It is one of the two days of the year that the priest has the
option to wear rose-colored liturgical vestments, though Lenten violet
may be substituted.
"In the past days, I also experienced the joy of being a pilgrim from
Rome in the Holy Land, laying a bridge between the two focal points of
the Great Jubilee of 2000, Rome and Jerusalem. The spiritual joy I have
in my heart for such a grace is profound, and for that I continually
thank the Lord. Moreover, I am grateful to all those who accompanied me
with prayer. In those moments and in those places I felt the whole
Church with me," the Holy Father said.
The Pope transmited that same joy to all his listeners. Indeed, this
Sunday is liturgically called "Laetare [Rejoice] Sunday." "How can one
not be attracted by this love?" the Pope asked. "God does not want the
death of the sinner, but that he convert and live. In order to live, man
must turn to Him, he must abandon ways that degrade his dignity and
return to the Father's house."
On Sunday, 99 days into the Great Jubilee, the Holy Father explained that it
"has entered its most intense phase during this Lenten time. This is
very visible in Rome: the Holy Doors of the four major Basilicas welcome
without interruption ever more numerous pilgrims."
In the first general audience that he held last Wednesday, two days
after returning from Israel, there were 60,000 pilgrims. These figures
are much higher than usual. It is estimated that during this Holy Year,
20 million pilgrims will visit Rome. Holy Week in the Eternal City will
be one of the times of greatest numbers of people in the year 2000. "The
same is happening in the dioceses in every part of the world. It could
be said that Christians everywhere are on the road, either as
individuals or as the people of God," John Paul II said.
The Pope's joy in seeing all these pilgrims of all ages, races,
countries and social conditions was obvious. He himself expressed it at
the end of the meeting, when addressing the pilgrims from the Czech
Republic. "I am happy to see how, for the first time in many decades,
led by their Bishops, thousands of faithful from the Czech lands have
come to Rome to the tombs of the apostles, to witness their communion
with Peter's successor," the Holy Father said.
Shortly before, John Paul II had sent cordial greetings to the
participants in the Congress of the Catholic Workers Association, held
this weekend in Brussels, and entitled "Be Intrepid and Dream about the
Future of the New Europe: Work, Solidarity, Roots of the Civil Economy."
"Be coherent with the Gospel and the social doctrine of the Church," the
Pope said to the participants, who were mostly Catholic labor union
members, so that "the contribution that Christian organizations can make
to the formation of Europe" will be visible, the Pope requested.
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The Holy Father also prayed for the plight of the terrible situation in Sudan where violence goes unabated as the city of Nimule in southern Sudan was once again bombed by the army of the Khartoum Islamic regime. Refugees leaving the Sudan have doubled since last week's bombing. Bishops of the South African states, in statements, are trying to awaken the world to the hypocrisy of the Khartoum's army tactics. continued inside.
ROME, APR 2 (ZENIT.org).- On March 28, for the second time in as many
weeks, the city of Nimule in southern Sudan, which is predominantly
Christian, was bombed by the government army of the Khartoum Islamic
regime. 12 bombs fell over the span of one hour. One child was wounded
an at least one bomb fell near the hospital.
"Once again, the bombing seems indiscriminate. We can only say that the
government continues to terrorize the civilian population," stated Mike
Foley, director of the Jesuits refugees Service (JRS). The previous
bombing took place on March 14.
Episcopalian Bishop Wilson Arop, whose diocese includes Nimule, said
that "Antonov military planes flew over Nimule for at least a week. They
dropped 12 bombs on March 14 and totally destroyed our church, killing a
chaplain and seriously wounding 20 persons." Another person died the
following day. According to the U.N. High Commission for Refugees,
beginning last month, the number of refugees leaving Sudan for border
countries has doubled.
In a statement published on March 24, Doctors Without Borders condemned
the "deliberate targeting" of schools and hospitals by the Sudanese Air
Force.
A delegation of South African Bishops who came to Sudan on a solidarity
visit "were impressed by the conditions in which the people live in
southern Sudan," Fr. Stephen Power said. Fr. Power, a Jesuit, is
director of JRS in East Africa.
"The Bishops were not convinced by the ingenuous explanations of the
Khartoum regime about their continued war in the south, including high
altitude terrorist bombings on weak civilian targets," he continued. "We
must more energetically uncover the hypocrisy behind the current
diplomatic actions of the government of Sudan, in order to influence
governments," he added.
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Bill Clinton has once again shown his true reptilian colors by asking the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the administration's lawyers to enter the fray in a court battle stemming from a Nebraska court ruling banning partial-birth abortion. The culture of death aministration wishes to argue in favor of killing the unborn no matter what stage of gestation, and is clearly defying the wording of the already-passed state law. Slick Willy may have his day in court, but he should not forget that the Final Court of God awaits the hard of heart. continued inside.
WASHINGTON, DC (CWNews.com) - The Clinton administration
has asked the US Supreme Court to allow it to wade into a
court battle over a Nebraska abortion law on the side of
those who want it overturned.
The Justice Department asked the court to let it's lawyers
participate when the case is argued before the justices on
April 27. In a brief filed with the request, the
administration argued that Nebraska's ban on partial-birth
abortions is unconstitutional for three reasons.
First, they said, the law is so broadly worded that more
than one type of abortion could be prosecuted and, second,
it is too vague to allow doctors to know just which
abortion types are banned. Third, even if the law was
restricted in its definition, it unduly burdens a woman's
right to abortion because "it fails to provide an exception
to preserve the pregnant woman's health." The only exception
to Nebraska's ban is if the outlawed procedure is necessary
to save a woman's life.
The Nebraska case is the first major abortion ruling by the
court since a 1992 ruling reaffirming the 1973 Roe v. Wade
decision that legalized abortion on demand. The case, known
as Stenberg vs. Carhart, could affect partial-birth abortion
bans in 30 states.
For more NEWS & VIEWS with a Catholic slant, see SECTION THREE
